Phonograph



Nov. 20, 1945. D. c. ROCKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 20, 1945. D. c. ROCKOLA ETAL PHONO GRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 20, .1945. D. c. ROCKOLA ET AL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 20, 1945- D. c. ROCKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 iv Sheets-Shept 4 Nov. 20, 1945. D. c. ROCKOLA ET AL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28', 1941 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 20, 1945. D c. ROCKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 6 Im/erafvni flayzd C. Boa/Kala Nov. 20, 1945. D. c. ROCKOLA ETAL 2,389,327

PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 Nov. 20, 1945. D. c. ROCKOLA EI'AL PHONOGRAPH Fild April 28, 1941 l7 Sheets-Sheet 9 Fade/12277."; fiawd C Poe/soda Z awfe/zce EDewZe Nov. 20, 1945. D. c. RO-CKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 10 fizz/Qatari a MZW mum of Z] CM W d army .fiw m Q N 1945- D. c. ROCKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 11 Nov. 20, 1945 D. c. ROCKOLA ETAL 2,389,327

' PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 12 Lazu/"e/we 1210915166 wii Tuqeme .L. Viv/Z600 1945- D. c. ROCKOLA EIAL I PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 EM mm m a 471% wmmmw wmwmflw m MM ZWL 5w Nov. 20, 194 5.

D. c. RQCKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 Inventors.

fladd C. Pociioia Lawrencelfieme w m, M

Nov- 2 19 D. c. RQCKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 Nov. 20, 1945.

D. c. ROQCKOLA ETAL PHONOGRAPH Filed April 28, 1941 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 16 s kw v I ll .|||llll|lllllllllllllllllIlllllll h Ll-i NOV. 20, 1945. c RQCKQLA ETAL 2,389,327

PHONOGRAPH Fild April 28, 1941 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 17 Patented Nov. 2% 3945 OFFICE PHONOGBAPH I David C. Rockola, Lawrence E. Dettle, and Eugene Triman, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Application April 28, 1941. Serial No. 390,774

33 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographs. It has for a general object the provision of a novel and improved multi-record phonograph 'which'may be set locally to predetermine for play any one of the records, all or some of the records seriatum, or each of any plurality of the records, whether the records in the pluralities are arrangedin numerical sequence or otherwise, and which may be set at a distance from the phonograph, or remotely, to predetermine any one of the records, or each of any plurality of the records, whether the records in the pluralities are arranged in numerical sequence or otherwise.

Another object of the invention is the provision in such a phonograph of a novel selector which i responsive both to local controL'o'r predetermining means, and to one or moreremote control or predetermining means and which will automatically select the record or records predetermined locally or remotely for playing one at a time in the phonograph.

A further object of the invention is the provision in such a phonograph of a remotely actuatable selector control which will render the lo cal selector control means ineflective but not inoperative while the selector is eiiecting a selection predetermined at a remote control station and thereafter for automatically restoring the efiectiveness of a local selector control mean whereby a record or the records meanwhile predetermined thereby will be automatically selected and played.

The invention-has as another object the provision in such a phonograph of local selector control means which is automatically operable to cause the selector to select numerical sequences of records for play if an individual record or each of a plurality of records has notbeen predetermined by the local control means or any one of the remote control means.

A further object of the invention is the provision in such a phonograph of local selector control means which is. automatically operable to cause the selector to select for play either the record next in numerical sequential order to the record last played or, if one or more records have been meanwhile selected and played, then to select the record removed from the last selected record by the number of record which have been meanwhile selected and played.

.Another object of the invention is the provision in such a phonograph of a selector control means which is actuatable by one or more electrical actuating units remotely positioned with respect to the phonograph and its selector control means.

A further object of the invention is the pro- Fig. '7;

vision in such a phonographioi remote selector control actuating devices, each with a "busy sisnal".which is automatically operable to indicate periods during which the selector is under the control of one such device and therefore is not responsive to another such device.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of the novel arrangements and combinations hereinafter disclosed and claimed. as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters relate to corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a' view or a phonograph embodying our invention, which shows the relation of certain of the principal parts thereof to each other;

Fig. 2 comprising Figs. 2" and 2 is an electric circuit diagramoi the phonographand the remote control actuating means:

Fig. 3 is a side view or a means for locally predeterminingany record or each of any plurality of records; H

Fig. 4 is a cross section talren substantially along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the record predetermining means shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view of means for cancelling selections, the means shown in Figs. 3 and 5,'as may be seen in the direction of the arrows 6-6 in Fi 5;

Fig. 7 is a front view of a predetermining means shown in Figs. 3 and 5 and also of a means for predetermining a record or aseries of records;

Fig. 8 is a detailed view showing a mechanism which permits the control means of Fig, 3 to supersede the operation of the predetermining means shown in a lower portion of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side view showing certain details of the mean for predetermining a certain record or series of records and of the master cam:

Fig. 10 is a rear view of the selector means shown in Figs. 7 and 9;

Fig. 11 is a detailed view of a of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10 as viewed along the line il-l I; I

Fig. 12 is a part sectional view of centain elements of Fig. 9 as seen from the line l2-l2 in Figs. 13 and 14 are side views of certain details of the selector mechanism shown inFlgs. 'l, 9

means for locally predetermining any record or each of any plurality of records;

' Fig. 1'! shows how the local selector operates in connection with the head of the selector mechanism and the record selector;

Fig. 18 shows certain details as seen along the line ll-ll in Fig. V

Fig. 19 is a view of the phonograph mechanism asseen from the line Il -l! in Fig.1:

Fig, 20 is a top view of the master cam and related mechanism as seen from directly below the mounting frame of the phonograph;

Figs. 21 and 22 show the means for rendering ineffective, the means for determining a certain record or a series of records and the means for locally determining any record or each of a plurality of records, in response to actuation of a remotely positioned actuating means:

Fig. 23 is a side view of a remotelyoperable electric means for predetermining any record or each of any plurality or records;

' Fig. 24 is a view of certain details seeni'romthelineIl-Ily Fig. 25 is a detailedview of one of the elements of Fig. 23; i

Fig. 2B is a fragmentary cross section showing a detail of certain elements of Fig. 23 and is taken substantially along the lines "-28 "of Fig. 27;

is a front view of elements shown in i 28;

1 1g. 28 is a front view or the selector means shown lurk-23; f

Hg. 29 shows certain elements which are conof mg. 23 as trolled so as to render ineifectivethe means for predetermining a certain record or series of records and the means for locally predetermining any record or each of any plurality of records;

l'ig. 30'is a cross section taken substantially along the lines 30- of Fig. 29.

I'lg. 31 is a schematic view or the relation of certain principal elements of the phonograph and the remotely. positionable predetermining means: Pig! its view of the interior of the remote means for predeterminlng the phonograph records:

Pig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section of the dial mechanism shown in Fig. 32; and

Fig. 34 is a view or the interrupter wheel and cooperating switches as seen in the direction of the arrows H4 in Fig. 33;

General Illustrative of the invention the drawings, particularly Figures 1, 19, 20 and 31, show a multirecord phonograph A, a selector B therefor, a manually p rable local control C for the selector B, and an automatically operable local control B for the selector 3 and an electrically operable control E for the selector, including the desired num ber of remotely positionable actuating means F for the last named controL, By means .of such controls any record, or each of any plurality of records in the phonograph may be predetermined locally or remotely and, if neither the manually operable local control C, nor the electrically operable control E isoperated'. the automatically operable control D will predetermine one record or a plurality of records in numerical sequence. The predetermined record or records will be automatically selected by the selector B and played in the phonograph, one at a time.

Automatic multi-record phonographs are known to the art, the type shown at A, by way of illustration. being substantially identical to that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,159,-

assess? structural features and operation of that phonograph.

Phonoomph The illustrated phonograph comprises record reproducing means, includingaturn-table G and a record reproducer or sound pick-up H suitably supported on a chassis I above a mounting panel J. Suitable amplifier means K and a loud speaker L are operably associated with the reproducer to play or reproduce phonograph records. The turntable G is movable for moving a record to and from playing relationship with the reproducer H and in such movement cooperates with record storage means, including a plurality of movable record carriers or trays M to provide means for changing-records.

Below the mounting panel J the chassis I carries a master cam N, driving means, for example, an electric motorO, for driving the cam N. tumtable rotating means, for-example, an electric motor P, engaging shaft Q that carries the turn table at its upper end and that is movable toward and away'from the reproducer, a. reciprocable slide R having a cam follower S and a turntable reciprocating arm T, cam operable reproducer return means U for returning, the re-. producer to its starting position upon the completion of the playing of a record, and phono graph control devices W, X, Y- and 'Z.

It will be understood that the motors O and P are electrically connected in circuit with the control devices W, X, Y and Z which, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, are adapted to start and stop each motor as required for the playing and changing of one or more records.

The control device W comprises a master switch II controlling an electrical circuit including in series a suitable source of energy 52, conductor means 63, the switch Ii, conductor means 54 and electromagnet 55 adapted to operate a suitable pawl (not shown) to cause the operation of a ratchet 56 of the control device X and conductor means 51. Preferably, but not necessarily,

the switch II is coin operated and, as shown, is

associated with a slidable coin freed receiver 58 for delivering a coin to a coin slide or chute 59.

The coin delivered by the receiver 58 to the chute V I9 movesalong the chute and normally closes the switch 5| to energize the electromagnet 55.

A pin or stud ii on the ratchet 56 normally holds a resilient switch 82 open. when the ratchet S8 is operated the pin ii releases the switch I, permitting it to close under the force of its own resiliency, thus closing a circuit including the turntable rotating motor P. That circuit includes in series a line conductor 63, conductor means 64, the turntable rotating motor P, conductor means 65 and 68, the switch 82 and a line conductor 61. The turntable rotating motor P is thereby connected in circuit with a suitable source of electrical energy, across line conductors l3 and 1, as will presently be explained, which energizes the motor P to cause it to rotate the turntable.

When the switch 82 is thus closed it also connects the cam driving motor 0 in circuit with the energizing line conductors 63 and 61 through a normally closed resilient switch CI of the conassess? troi device Y. That circuit comprises the line conductor 88, the cam driving motor 0, conductor means 89, conductor means H, the switch 88, conductor means 12, the conductor means 88, the switch 62 and the line conductor 81. The master cam N is thereby rotated, as may be seen in Figures 1 and 20, thus rotating its shaft 73 on which the master cam is fixed, and rotating a notched disc I4 fixed on the cam shaft 13 and constituting a part of the control device Y. The master cam N thus rotated operates apparatus for moving a record carrier to and from cooperative relation with the turntable G, operates apparatus for moving the turntable to and from playing relation with the reproducer H and contributes to the timing of those operations in such a manner that a record or a plurality of records successively, whether arranged in numerical sequence or otherwise, may be moved from storage position to playing position and, after playing, returned to the storage position.

In such phonographs each record carrier M is of ring-shape or equivalent configuration, having -an outwardly extending .arm 15 for pivotally or otherwise movably mounting the carriers in stacked or column relation and in the illustrated rupted and the reproducer H engages the record on the turntable. 1

In playing the record the reproducer travels inwardly toward the center of the record on the turntable, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Such movement of the reproducer causes the rotation of a shaft 85, Figure 20, to the upper end of which the reproducer is fixed. The shaft 85 is drivingly engageable with a notched disc 86 supported at the lower end of the shaft. That notched disc 86 constitutes a part of the control device Z and has an operating projection 81 thereon which, during the rotation of the I shaft 85 by the playing movement of the reprophonograph, Figures 1 and 19, the carriers are pivotally mounted on a post I6 between successive discs I1 fixed in column relation on the post 16. portion 18 extending beyond the pivot post 16 for pivotally carrying latch members 19. The latch members 19 interlockingly and releasably engage with respectively adjacent discs I! for releasably latching the record carriers in column or stacked relation at one side of the turntable, as is also apparent from Figure 1'7, and each latch member is provided with a member 8|, also shown in Figure 17, engageable with the record carrier moving means 82 and an operating member 83'foireleasing the corresponding record carrier and drivingly coupling it with the record carrier moving means.

The master cam N, rotating as described above, engages cam followers 84 and'S, Figures 19 and 20. The cam follower 84 is operatively connected to the record carrier moving means 82 and cooperates with the master cam N for driving the record carrier moving means to move any record carrier, the latch member 19 of which has been operated through its operating member 83 into engagement with the record carrier moving means to asposition over the turntable. The rotating master cam N by engaging the cam follower S thereafter raises the reciprocable slide R which carries with it the turntable reciprocating arm T thereby to raise the rotating tumtable G. During its rising movement, the ro- B8 of the control device Y. The switch 68 thereupon opens under the force of its own resiliency, thus opening the circuit including the cam driving motor 0. The cam driving'motor 0, but not the turntable rotating motor P, is thus -de-energized, rotation of the master cam N is inter- The arm of each record carrier has a -ducer H, travels toward the reproducer return means U.

When the playing of the record is completed by the reproducer H the shaft 85 has rotated the notched disc 86 of thecontrol device Z until the projectionfl 'is adjacent the reproducer return means U' and the notch in the disc 86 is in registration with a normally open resilient switch 88, of Fig. 2. Upon'such registration the switch 88 closes under the force of its own resiliency, thereby again connecting the cam driving motor 0 in circuit with the supply lines 63 and 61, and again causing that motor to rotate the master cam N, its shaft 13 and the notched disc 14 of the control device X. The circuit thus closed includes the line conductor 63, the cam driving motor O, the conducting means 68, conducting.

conducting means 9| record has thus been moved out of playing engagement with the reproducer'H, the pin or stud 92 on the rotating master cam N engages the reproducer return means U and moves it to rotate the disc 86 by engagement with its projection 81 in a direction to return thereproducer to its initial or starting position.

During that rotation of the disc 86 the notch in the disc passes beyond the switch 88, thereby opening that switch, the periphery of the disc holding the switch open'until the notch again registers therewith. The opening of the switch does not, however, stop the cam driving motor 0 for the reason that before that switch has been opened the rotation of the master cam Nand its shaft I8 has caused the rotation of the notched zg disc 14 of the control device Ysufliciently to move th'enotch in that disc out of registration with the switch 68, thus closing that switch. The periphery of the disc 14 holds the switch 88 closed to keep the cam driving motor 0 energized during the remainder of the cycle of operation.

The cam driving motor 0 therefore continues driving the master cam N, its shaft 13 and the notched disc 14. When the rotating master cam N has completed its movement of the follower S.

the slide R and the turntable reciprocating arm T in moving the turntable away from the playing position, a pin or stud 93 on the rotating, notched disc 14 of the control device Y engages a spring held pawl (not shown) adjacent the ratchet 56,

, moves that pawl against the action of its spring and. then releases the pawl. As soon as the pin 98 releases the pawl the spring moves the pawl 

